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Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Guns
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg investing $50 million in gun control campaign

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York and co-founder of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, is launching a $50 million campaign to support candidates favoring gun control. Bloomberg is attempting to push back on the influence of the National Rifle Association in 15 targeted states, including some hostile territory (Texas, Montana, Arizona). Arkansas is not among the targets, as far as I can tell from the press release. Bloomberg, of course, has targetedSen. Mark Pryorin the past for his opposition to gun-control measures. Of course, in gun-happy Arkansas, Pryor took Bloomberg's criticism as a badge of honor. And the alternative to Pryor is Rep. Tom Cotton, who is, shall we say, not on board with Bloomberg's gun safety agenda.

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg's plan to invest $50 million in what he describes as a mom-driven grassroots effort to support pro-gun-safety candidates grabbed headlines Wednesday, and energized gun control activists.

The commitment, the former New York City mayor says, aims to beat back the profound political influence of the National Rifle Association in 15 targeted states — to "make them afraid of us," he told NBC's Today Show.

"This is what the American public wants," Bloomberg said, referring to his group's intended focus on gun-purchase background checks.

Polls show that Bloomberg, 72, is correct — Americans overwhelmingly support background checks for all gun purchases.

More by David Ramsey

The more than 500 pages of court filings recently unsealed by Federal Judge Timothy Brooks in the federal corruption case against former state Sen. Jon Woods include notes from a 2017 meeting between former state Rep. Micah Neal and federal investigators. According to these notes, Neal described what appears to be an accusation by Woods that state. Rep. Tim Summers, then a lobbyist, took kickbacks in exchange for helping to get GIF money for an affiliate of Preferred Family Healthcare where Summers worked on staff.

Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced that Judge Stephen Tabor of Fort Smith will serve as a replacement judge to hear the challenge to Issue One before the Arkansas Supreme Court.

After a challenge filed by a coalition of big business interests opposed to minimum wage increases — including the Chamber of Commerce and the Arkansas Hospital Association — the Arkansas Supreme Court's appointed magistrate is set to hear arguments this week on whether Issue 5 can remain on the ballot.

Little Rock police have identified two women found dead of gunshot wounds in an SUV parked next to a vacant trailer in a mobile home park at 11500 Chicot Road.

It's the New York Times with the news today. Fired FBI Director James Comey kept notes of his talks with Donald Trump. A memo he wrote in February after a meeting with Trump said the president asked him to shut down the investigation into Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser.

A former employee of the Pulaski County sheriff and a North Little Rock woman who sold goods to the sheriff's office have pleaded guilty to mail fraud in a scheme to steal from the sheriff's office, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.

by Max Brantley

May 16, 2017

Slideshows

Arkansas vs Ole Miss at War Memorial stadium in Little Rock, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. After leading for much of the game, Arkansas lost 37-33 when Ole Miss scored the game winning Touchdown with less that 2 minutes left.